Emily Endo Talk

Emily Endo

http://www.emilyendo.com/

High Desert Observatory 

https://www.highdesertobservatory.com/

Jeremy Okai Davis Artist Talk

http://work.jeremyokaidavis.com/

https://www.opb.org/television/programs/artbeat/segment/portland-painter-jeremy-okai-davis-finds-unity-in-pixels/

The New Studio!

The New Studio!

I have finally finished the last touches on my studio!  We moved in to a lovely Arts and Crafts style home in Chico. I feel incredibly lucky to have this space. Stuart has his own creative space as well in the sun room. This is the first time in a long time that we each have our own designated creative space.

 

New to me is a sewing table with rolling chair that I got at the Salvation Army for $12.40. The table is great, but the rolling chair is the best!!!! I repainted this as well and gave it a new fabric cover (continuing my fabric collection theme of Carrie Blooms’s “Dreamer” line). Stuart also greased the wheels for me because they were squealing a lot. I tightened some screws, put it back together and it rides like a dream! If you don’t have a chair in your studio that has wheels, then go out right now and get one! I never thought that I would enjoy sitting. I am able to go from the sewing machine to the iron, to the cutting table in a quick roll. There is also storage with this one. I keep my drawing supplies handy here. Get one!!!


                                                         

Our new house rental is on a property with a lot of great trees. From my front window I can see a lovely Ginko Eucalyptus tree. This photo does not do it justice. From the side window I look out in to a little side yard. The door to the room has a lovely vintage style mirror. Great for when I am doing fitting adjustments!

                                     

My cutting station is set up right in the middle of the space. This is rarely this clean. I thought that it would be good to take a photo before I got in to a project. My new goal is to clean up after I finish each project. This studio can get very wild and crazy if I don’t do this. My dress form has a great place in the corner of the studio. I made it using this tutorial: Plaster dress form.

I created some ruler stands with some scrap wood. These make me so happy! It is great having my rulers and cutting boards at a quick reach.

Another simple thing that is making so happy about this new space is this idea board that I created. I took some of my cardboard and taped some layers together. I then used some white canvas to create a cover. I love when there are pockets in things and created some pockets on the bottom strip. I can now put up drawings, ideas and projects up here. Below is my machine that I use for free motion quilting along with another ruler station. To the right I have all of my art supplies, current sewing projects and books. Pockets!!

I had already made a Quilt design wall in my former studio. It is two sheets of foam core taped together with felt on top. This is where I hang up a quilt in process. This fits right above my serger/coverstitch station. I keep all of my fabric in bins. I have to keep it organized otherwise, it will be everywhere. To the right is an art piece from a show that I had about women’s garments during WWII.

My ironing board is easily folded up if I am not using it. (I am always using it!) It is easy for me to get in to my closet if needed. It houses more fabric, bags and jackets.

It is great to have a sit down space to work at. I can sit here and write out ideas. My White sewing machine has also been fixed up. I keep it set at a basting stitch. This way when I am working on a muslin, I can sew it up quickly. The lamp was my grandmother’s. I call it the captain and he watches over the studio. The Maine in me likes to have him around. The California in me now loves the bamboo curtains. I also made some new curtains from some fabric that my Aunt Anne had sent me. These curtains really lighten up the space and give me a little bit more privacy. Each window does have wooden blinds if I want to be completely private.

What will I do next? I have so many projects that I have been wanting to do. I am going to get some things started that I can work on as the semester starts. I know that this will involve garments, the Spindrift quilt pattern and a new art quilt that I will paint. Love that I have my space all set up and ready to go!!

Tamarack Jacket with zipper and ruler work quilting.

Tamarack Jacket with zipper and ruler work quilting.
  • Tamarack Jacket with zipper and ruler work quilting.
  • Tamarack Jacket with zipper and ruler work quilting.
  • Tamarack Jacket with zipper and ruler work quilting.
  • Tamarack Jacket with zipper and ruler work quilting.
  • Tamarack Jacket with zipper and ruler work quilting.
  • Tamarack Jacket with zipper and ruler work quilting.
  • Tamarack Jacket with zipper and ruler work quilting.
  • Tamarack Jacket with zipper and ruler work quilting.
  • Tamarack Jacket with zipper and ruler work quilting.
Tamarack Jacket with zipper and ruler work quilting.
Tamarack Jacket with zipper and ruler work quilting.
Tamarack Jacket with zipper and ruler work quilting.
Tamarack Jacket with zipper and ruler work quilting.
Tamarack Jacket with zipper and ruler work quilting.

When I first saw this pattern I wasn’t sure if I would like the fit. It isn’t close fitting, yet because I paid attention to how it fit through my shoulders, I keep getting compliments on how well it does fit. I had also been using quilting rulers with my quilts and thought that it would be a great jacket to use these on. 

In November I started. Below are some tips on how I created mine. 

  1. I used the size for my high bust. I did a forward shoulder adjustment, a full bust adjustment to match my bust adjustment (My shoulders fit better with the high bust measurement) and later took out some of the middle section because the fit was off. (I should have cut it to the exact amount first) I used muslin to figure this out and then changed my red dot paper pattern. (I always fit my pattern in order to remake these items again)
  2. I planned out what I wanted to do with my jacket. I scanned the pattern image and then printed it out. I drew different ideas out and then came up with the one that I thought would be stylish but not too much. 
  3. The fabrics that I chose were a grey flannel, Quilter’s Dream Orient batting (Silk, bamboo, tencel and cotton mix) and Carolyn Friedlander Lawn. I got this from Honey Run Quilters were I work part time and teach garment fitting and construction classes. 
  4. I safety pinned the lawn, batting and flannel in a sandwich. I placed the pattern pieces on this and then cut out an inch or two around each pattern. I set each aside. 
  5. Practice is really important with this! I tried out different threads and different circles before deciding on my final with a practice sandwich.
  6. I drew out on the pattern some marking lines to match my quilting. I placed a horizontal and vertical line on each to match up. 
  7. I first did diagonal lines using my walking foot with a gray thread. 
  8. I then used my rounded quilting ruler and variegated thread for the floral designs. The sleeves were quilted with just a straight line across and a detail near the hand. 
  9. Once I was done quilting, I placed the pattern back over and cut around each. 
  10. I changed the pocket direction to be angled along my quilting. 
  11. I sewed together the pieces following the instructions. After sewing the seam together, I cut out as much of the bulk of the seam as I could. I left the lining whole and then serged this together. 
  12. I wanted a zipper. I sewed the binding to the edge of the front and then used fabric glue to baste it to the back. I used a stitch in the ditch foot and moved my needle over in order to add the topstitching. I did the front part (where the zipper goes) before I topstitched the rest. I then added the zipper. I hand basted the zipper in location before I did the machine stitching. 
  13. I then finished the topstitching binding on the remaining areas.